That's our schedule. First game is against SD. I think we have a real shot at winning this game. Our DLine will have to come up big though. They're our best unit imo. Our LBers are OK but I'm not so sure about the secondary. Harass Rivers all day is the name of the game.

On O, we'll be short on receivers. Run DMC will have to show up and show that talent he possesses. Our OLine isn't bad either, I think they can step up and help establish the run. Our big key will be Carson. If he can have a good game, we'll be solid.

All in all I expect a W tomorrow night.

__________________
"Dying ain't much of a living, boy" -Josey Wales

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanHope

R4L does security, and strips on the weekend.
He told me the best part is being able to wear the same uniform to both jobs.

Well, I think last night was pretty damn bad but not catastrophic. There were some bright spots in there. Saw people calling the Raiders garbage and pathetic and while I will admit we're not a good team we're not garbage either. We just had terrible circumstances.

First, the mistakes. These need to go away. The fumble at the beginning of the game was really a bad omen of things to come. Then Streater makes a nice grab and tries to do too much. Resulted in him getting stripped and Raiders lose the ball. Next time around we're moving well again, but we decide to get too cute and run a double reverse which Taiwan Jones fumbles.

On defense, the penalties racked up. Highlighted by Tommy Kelly's back to back offsides. Oakland really needs to learn what it is to play disciplines. I hate him but Trent Dilfer was right when he said that its just adding bad plays which will ultimately end in defeat.

Speaking of defense though, after early mistakes they really held up well. Our rush defense was top notch. Granted the Chargers were missing some players, I think we did a solid job. Richard Seymoure had a good game as did rookie LBer Miles Burris. I was really wasn't optimistic about our secondary and they didn't do much to help that. Ron Bartell got burned and then left the game. Huff got abused by Gates a couple times, overall the secondary needs work. Also was skeptical of Philip Wheeler and while he wasn't great, he wasn't all bad either. Like I said earlier Burris had a good game and I really like the kid. McClain needs to start playing up to his potential. Guy is fast and athletic and can be a good MLB. I also want to see a little more Christo Bilukidi but that's just me.

On offense, we had health issues. Hagan, Streater, and DHB were our only receivers. Streater has issues catching the damn ball. Palmer placed a few throws on a dime and he dropped them. Hagan and DHB had solid games overall but we really need Ford and Moore back. Kinda wish we still had Murphy too. I also liked what I saw out of Brandon Myers at TE. If he keeps developing he could be solid for us. Oakland also has to use more Marcel Reese. The guy is a mismatch that we have to take advantage of.

The OL was a disaster, specially in the middle. The absence of Wisinewski was really felt. Also I can't state how much I HATE Khalif Barnes and Cooper Carlisle. This offseason we really need to address LG and RT. I'm hoping Barksdale steps up for the job. Parsons got abused most of the night.

The turning point was losing John Condo. The 3 special teams plays that we totally botched are was ultimately broke our back. This is when we just started looking beyond stupid and hopeless.

All in all it was a terrible game but there were a lot of positives as well. We play Miami next. Hopefully a few guys come back and we look better. We can't run DMC into the ground, he's not made for it. He's going to get hurt.

__________________
"Dying ain't much of a living, boy" -Josey Wales

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanHope

R4L does security, and strips on the weekend.
He told me the best part is being able to wear the same uniform to both jobs.

Yeah, that was a pathetic showing. I was all pumped up for the start of the season and that was a huge letdown. How did we not have anyone besides Condo capable of long snapping? We screwed up 3 punts in a row, that's embarrassing. I mean, what do the backup o-lineman do all day? They should just practice that on the sidelines until they don't completely suck at it.

I was very disappointed with the offense. Losing Hue's offense was something I was worried about coming into the season, and this game didn't help. It's like the game plan was "throw it to DMC in the flat". Is Jason Campbell calling the plays? ;)

The defense was the lone bright spot. The fact that they held SD to so many field goals when they were getting put into such bad situations is pretty impressive. ^^I agree with you about Burris, he looked good. I thought McClain looked good as well, he showed more explosion than I'd seen the last couple years and put a couple really good licks on the RB.

I wouldn't blame Palmer too much on giving it to DMC. Other than him no one was really stepping up. Streater was looking like an undrafted FA, Hagan made a few catches but couldn't for more since he's only been with Oakland for a week, and DHB did a few things. If the OL wasn't getting abused Palmer might have looked at DHB a little more.

I thought McClain was good to but I know he can be better and that's what I would like.

__________________
"Dying ain't much of a living, boy" -Josey Wales

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanHope

R4L does security, and strips on the weekend.
He told me the best part is being able to wear the same uniform to both jobs.

My complaints about offense weren't really directed at Palmer, more at Knapp and whoever came up with that game plan. I'm not gonna call for anyone's head yet or anything, it's only week 1, but hopefully this stuff gets ironed out because if we lose to Miami I'll be pretty pissed.

I've said it a bunch in other spots, but the reason the Raiders couldn't get it downfield was because the middle of the offinsive line was getting pushed all over the place. The was absolutely no depth to the pocket because Alex Parsons was manhandled by Franklin all game long.

If Wiz can come back healthy, I'm hoping that changes for the next game.

I agree with most of what you said R4L! I really liked Burris, and i find it positive than in spite of so many mistakes, the game never didn't end completely out of hand. Carson didn't force many throws as he usually does and considering he will have Wiz protecting him and Moore back next week (hopefully) will only help him. I would like to see Taiwan, Goodson and Reece to get the ball more. If DMC touches the ball any more than 25 times a game, it could be just too much for him. We seriously need him healthy.

I also feel like having Shaughnessy back helped us stopping the run. I am a big fan of this guy. We have some bases, which hopefully RM and Allen use as building blocks.

Now, I'm looking a bit more into the future, but fixing our problems with our right side of the line, acquiring a good TE, and a corner could do wonders for our team. Also, Palmer being 32 and not particularily ''great'' I wonder if our management looks at Matt Barkley or Landry Jones, or maybe sit on Palmer another season and get someone in a future draft.

All in all, I think that DMC, Moore, DHB, Ford (probably out for the season though), Wiz, Streater (maybe I'm jumping the gun though), VELDHEER give us reason to be excited for what is coming up with our Raiders.

All in all, we are rebuilding this season. At least it feels like we're taking steps in the right direction with proper management.

Really excited to see Wiz getting 1st team reps, expecting to see a much more threatning offense with DMC likely getting better run blocking opening up things for Palmer. Moore should without a doubt at least make the passing offense open up.

Barksdale has be disappointing from what I've seen and read, Barnes is still likely our best option at RT.

Yea true. Sad, I had really high hopes for him. Thought him, Wiz, and Veldheer and maybe even Campbell would set us up with a real nice OL. I think Barksdale can still improve though, only 23. But I can only have hope in him for so long.

__________________
"Dying ain't much of a living, boy" -Josey Wales

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanHope

R4L does security, and strips on the weekend.
He told me the best part is being able to wear the same uniform to both jobs.

**** Reggie McKensie, **** Dennis Allen, **** Greg Knapp, **** Greg Knapp, **** Greg Knapp. How is this an improvement at all. How exactly did we improve by cutting Stanford Routte and Demarcus Van Dyke? Huh Reggie? Yeah lets make sure the average age of our corners is 45 great plan. Let's fire a coach who despite having 3 different starting qb's, half the receivers hurt, our best player gone after game 6, still managed to have a top 10 offense. Then let's hire a D-coordinator whose balls haven't dropped yet to be our head coach. Then let's hire one of the worst ******* offensive coordinators the Raiders have ever had to be our offensive coordinator. Great job McKensie you ugly ****, thanks for taking this team in a positive new direction. Mark Davis you cabbage patch kid looking mother ******, your dad would slap the **** out of you if he were still alive. If you move this team to LA I will hunt you down and slap you myself.

Still early to completely give up but it's not pretty that's for sure. We have to find some CB's that can cover, how the hell does Hartline continue to run the same route and beat Lee/Hanson. Not having a #1 WR is what's going to kill this offense, DHB and Moore and nice young weapons but if we had a big target for Palmer to rely on things would look a lot better.

**** Reggie McKensie, **** Dennis Allen, **** Greg Knapp, **** Greg Knapp, **** Greg Knapp. How is this an improvement at all. How exactly did we improve by cutting Stanford Routte and Demarcus Van Dyke? Huh Reggie? Yeah lets make sure the average age of our corners is 45 great plan. Let's fire a coach who despite having 3 different starting qb's, half the receivers hurt, our best player gone after game 6, still managed to have a top 10 offense. Then let's hire a D-coordinator whose balls haven't dropped yet to be our head coach. Then let's hire one of the worst ******* offensive coordinators the Raiders have ever had to be our offensive coordinator. Great job McKensie you ugly ****, thanks for taking this team in a positive new direction. Mark Davis you cabbage patch kid looking mother ******, your dad would slap the **** out of you if he were still alive. If you move this team to LA I will hunt you down and slap you myself.

I always said that this year would be a wash because the new staff wasn't given much to work with. Hue was let go because after Al died he wen't on a massive power trip and he left us handicapped with Carson Palmer. Whatever happens this year I won't, and I believe many people shouldn't, hold it against the new staff. Its not totally their fault and are working with what they're given. You talk about letting DVD and Routt go, well Al and his people didn't do much better letting Zach Miller walk and then totally screwing up the Nnamdi situation. I am willing to give them more than just 2 games before I start calling for heads to roll. Lack of continuity is was has hurt us in the first place.

With that said, I was at work during the game and couldn't really pay as much attention as I would have liked. From what I did get to see though:

Palmer didn't look too bad. The statline isn't too pretty, 24/48 373 1TD 1INT, but I can't say it was the wrong call. Miami really held the run game in check we didn't do jack ****. We couldn't, our line was getting handled. NIP and I mentioned this in the discussion thread and I have been harping about this for almost 3 years now.

Khalif Barnes needs to go. Straight up. like NIP said, how he is the starting RT is inexcusable. We need an upgrade at RT and the guards could use an upgrade as well.

Having Denarius back was nice. He did some good things and if he can stay healthy(which may be a lot to ask since our WRs love to get injured) he'll be beast. DHB has improved massively. The kid is really starting to live up to his draft slot, his catching technique is better as well as his route running. We could use an upgrade at TE but like I said last week, I think Myers can be solid for us.

NIP also mentioned this and I will 2nd it. We need a bruiser at RB. Bush wasn't the most physical guy at Louisville but for Oakland he was a very good short yardage back. He was very big and could hit the hole. We need that again.

The offensive playcalling isn't very impressive and is way too vanilla for my liking. It seems we go from one end of the spectrum to the other, crazy vertical attack to vanilla wco. Need to find a balance, I kinda wish Saunders would have stayed as OC and not just adviser.

On defense, I couldn't really get much of a read. Seemed I had to go do something every time we were on D. From what I did see though, we got thoroughly abused on the ground. I saw some of the worst tackling I had ever seen in my life. That was some pee-wee football stuff it was so bad. Reggie Bush and Lamar Miller both averaged over 6 ypc. Completely unacceptable. I was a big Tommy Kelly fan but I think its time to find someone who can be an upgrade...and more Christo Bilukidi lol. We also need someone to come off the edge, a pure pass rush specialist would be nice since Houston and Shaughnasty aren't exactly great outside pass rushers.

The secondary blows. I haven't been able to key on Tyvon Branch so I'll let someone else chime in on him. But Huff, you bring me nothing but bitterness, has to go. He needs to get replaced with a better FS. The CBs really need an upgrade. They suck massive ass. Period. Burris has to show up every week man, he was practically invisible.

That's really all I got right now, really just a pitiful performance all around. I really don't see us winning one in the next 3 or 4 weeks because of who we're facing but here's hoping we make it competitive.

__________________
"Dying ain't much of a living, boy" -Josey Wales

Quote:

Originally Posted by TitanHope

R4L does security, and strips on the weekend.
He told me the best part is being able to wear the same uniform to both jobs.

**** Reggie McKensie, **** Dennis Allen, **** Greg Knapp, **** Greg Knapp, **** Greg Knapp. How is this an improvement at all. How exactly did we improve by cutting Stanford Routte and Demarcus Van Dyke? Huh Reggie? Yeah lets make sure the average age of our corners is 45 great plan. Let's fire a coach who despite having 3 different starting qb's, half the receivers hurt, our best player gone after game 6, still managed to have a top 10 offense. Then let's hire a D-coordinator whose balls haven't dropped yet to be our head coach. Then let's hire one of the worst ******* offensive coordinators the Raiders have ever had to be our offensive coordinator. Great job McKensie you ugly ****, thanks for taking this team in a positive new direction. Mark Davis you cabbage patch kid looking mother ******, your dad would slap the **** out of you if he were still alive. If you move this team to LA I will hunt you down and slap you myself.

LMAO GOOD RANT!!! I FEEL YA!!!

I still dont think we did the right thing firing Hue. Reggie McKenzie shoulda sat him down and explained to him that he wasnt gonna be running the whole show, but still let him be the head coach. The Carson Palmer thing - I blame entirely on Hue. it was one of the worst trades ive ever seen in all the years ive followed football. but were stuck with palmer either way, no reason we shouldnt at least give Hue the chance to make it work. I really liked Tom Cable and what he did as a head coach for us, and the only rationale we had for letting him go was Hue Jackson was a star in the making as a coach and he would take a HC gig somewhere else if we didnt promote him. Now theyre both gone and ive never been sold on dennis allen and wont be until we see some results. winning an east coast road game would have been a good start.

say what you want about Hue, but our offense was dynamic with him. He got out of control with power after al died cuz there was no one to check him, but he did a lot of good things. Our D fell apart at the end of last year, and our O struggled with injuries and a horrible Carson Palmer, but we still were almost in the playoffs. Bresnahan was the real man to blame on defense, not Hue, and with another year with palmer, I think Hue coulda got the offense going. instead we bring in greg knapp to run a WCO that we dont have the personell for. What did we get Carson for??? To run a big play offense!!! That was the whole idea, Carson, Denarius, DHB, Mcfadden, we run the ball and then we go vertical. Instead were running this silly ass WCO that Carson is not accurate enough to be good at and our receivers are not good enough route runners to be effective at.

Shawntae Spencer and Ron Bartell as our corners...Two decent players with injury issues, but we have faith in them so were just gonna have the two of them and then a bunch of completely unproven young guys. OK, its week 2 and theyre both already hurt. Now were starting guys that other teams released before the season, pat lee and joselio hanson. ill take routt and chris johnson back.

what happened to working with what you have? Instead, MckEnzie has just gutted the team and not put together the pieces of a winning team. We cut Wimbley and it is incredibly apparent we are missing an edge rusher. We let Bush go, and did not bring in anything resembling a power back to replace him. Our RT situation is STILL a mess. BTW, what happened to Joseph Barksdale, i was really hoping hed be the answer. Im pretty much taking this as a lost year. I see us picking very high this year.